Automobile stop signal



M y 1940; E. E. RlcARp 2,199,756

AUTOMOBILE STOP SIGNAL Filed Aug; 11, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l InventorAttorneys y 1940- E. E. RICARD 2.1 9.756

AUTOMOBILE STOP SIGNAL Filed Aug. 11, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventorpflummm.

I Aiiorneys May 7, 1940.

E. E. RICARD 2,199,756

AUTOMOBILE STOP SIGNAL Filed Aug. 11, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 InventorZZTIEzZurd By E g; 5%;

A ifornys Patented May 7, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILESTOP SIGNAL Eugene E. Ricard, Ponchatoula, La.

Application August 11, 1936, Serial No. 95,470

2 Claims. (o1. 1'z7-32"1) My invention relates generally to automobilestop signals, and particularly to a stop signal of this characterembodying a human figure one of-the arms of which is arranged to waveupon operation of the signal to give an animated stop sign. or signal tovehicles approaching from the rear, andan important-object of myinvention is to provide an electro-mechanical arrangement of thischaracter which is exceptional in attention attracting and arrestingqualities and in operating efficiency.

Other important objects of my invention will be apparent from a readingof the following description taken in connection with the drawings,

1 wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferredembodiment of my invention.

In the drawings- Figure l'is a general front elevational View of anembodiment of the invention partly cut away to disclose theelectro-mechanical operating mechanism.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 1approximately on the line 2-2 and looking toward the right in thedirection of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken through Figure 1approximately on the line 3-3 and looking downwardly in the direction ofthe arrows.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the signaling arm andimmediately connected mechanism.

"Figure 5 is a perspective view of an operating link;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the operating link connecting rod.

Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the electrical connections.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numera1 5 generally designatesa simulation of a police trafiic oflicer which is formed of suitablemetal and has suitable means for mounting the same on the left rearfender or other suitable place on the automobile and facing rearwardly,so that '45 in action the signal of the present invention gives the sameeffect as a human traflic officer when in operation. The body of theform 5 is hollow and at the right shoulder thereof is an opening 6through which works the movable arm 50 which is generally designated 1and whichis mounted by means of an axle 8 journalled in front and rearportions of the shoulder of the body.

The arm I as particularly clearly shown in Fig- 55 ure 4 is curved inform and has at its lower end the hand 9 which has mounted thereon thesingle contact bulb IE of an appropriate color, preferably red. Theupper end of the arm l above the axle 8 has on the front side thereof arotatably mounted roller ll upon the upper side of which 5 bears theouter end of the operating link l2, and the pin l3 which mounts theroller H extends on the opposite side of the arm and forms a pivotalconnection for the solenoid core It which depends therefrom and Works inthe bore of the 10 solenoid I5 which is mounted by means of a suitablebracket l fi'on the right hand side of the body and on the interiorthereof as clearly shown in Figure 1, and insuch a position that uponenergization of the solenoid I5 the core M will be 15 pulled downwardlyfrom the position in which it is shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 4to the depressed dotted line position shown in Figure 1 whereby the arm1 is'swung to the elevated dotted line position'illustrated in Figure 1.20 Upon deenergization'of the solenoid l5 gravity returns the arm 1 tothe depressed full line position shown in Figure 1.

The operating link l2 has slightly inwardly from center the pivotalconnection I] to the 25 bracket l8 which depends from the neck portionof the interior of the body, and the inward end of this operating linkl2, Fig. 5, has a hole 19 therein through which is placed the eye 20 onv the upper end of the connecting rod 2|, Fig. 6, 30 whereby a pivotalconnection is made between the upper end of the connecting rod and theinner end of the operating link l2 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3;The lower end of the connecting rod 2| has a journal 22 thereon which isrotatably '35.

mounted on an eccentric crank pin 23 on the large gear wheel 24 which ismounted on the shaft 25 which is supported by the bearing bracket 26depending from the left shoulder of the body and the bearing 21 which isformed 40 on the inner side of the hollow left arm of the body asillustrated in Figure 1.

The teeth of the large gear wheel 24 are meshed with the teeth of apinion 28 which is mounted on the shaft of an electric motor 29 which ismounted by means of brackets 30 and 3| to the interior of the left armof the body below the bearing 21 as clearly shown in Figure 1. By meansof this arrangement the operation of the motor 29 will rotate the gearwheel 24 so as to cause the operating link or walking beam to work upand down and by reason of its operating connection with the roller II onthe upper end of the arm I, will cause the said arm to wave up and downin a traflic arresting gesture. Since the outer end or the operatinglink or beam I2 is not secured to the roller l I, the solenoid core l4may operate the arm independently of the operating link l2.

For conditioning operation of the device of the invention I utilize thebrake pedal operated switch mechanism 35 shown in Figure '7 whichcomprises longitudinally spaced pairs of contacts 43, 44 and 45, 46,respectively. A switch plunger rod 50 is operated by the brake pedal 58through the agency of thepivotal connection 56 with a rod section whichis in turn connected to the spring 5'! which is connected to the rod 50,the rod 58 being disposed between the pairs of contacts and having theshort contact drum 54 and the long contact drum 55, which are normallydisengaged from the pairs of contacts,

while the brake pedal is in an unoperated position. In this position ofthe parts the lantern I is unilluminated and the signal arm .1 is in itspendant unoperated position shown in Figure '7.

Referring to Figure 7 of the drawings it will appear that the switchmechanism 35 is mounted in a convenient position behind the brake pedal58 of the automobile. The switch contact 43 is connected by the wire 59,which runs through one leg of the body 5, to one end of the winding ofthe solenoid l and the remaining end of the winding of the solenoid isconnected to a wire 60 which runs to one side of the bulb I0, with theremainingside of the bulb Iii grounded as indicated by the numeral 5|.The wire 60 runs also to one side of the motor 29 and the remaining sideof the motor is connected by the wire 62 which runs through theremaining leg of the body, to the switch contact 44. r

The switch contacts 45 and 46 are both connected to the wire 63 which isconnected to one side of the battery 64 whose remaining side is groundedas indicated by the numeral 65. When the brake pedal 58 is partiallydepressed, as in preliminary braking, the drum 54 is engaged with andbetween the opposed contacts 43 and 45, thereby bridging them andclosing the battery circuit to the solenoid l5 and the lamp I0, whicheffects movement of the .arm 1 to the horizontal, illuminated stopsignalling position shown in dotted lines in Figure l of the drawings.The arm I is held in this position by the solenoid until the solenoid isdeenergized by unbridging of the contacts 43 and 45, either by releaseof the brake pedal or by pushing the brake pedal farther down, as inmaking a complete or sudden stop, so as to move the longer drum 55 froma neutral position until engagement with the contacts 44 and 46. Thisbridging of the contacts 44 and 46 puts the battery 64 in circuit withthe lamp l 0 and with the motor 29 which then, through its crank andlink arrangement already described, waves the illuminated arm I up anddown, the resultant combined signals affording a positive, attractiveand arresting simulation of a traflic officer waving down traffic.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire tolimit the application of the invention thereto, and any change orchanges may be made in the materials, and in the structure andarrangement of the parts, within the spirit of the invention and thescope of the subjoined claims.-

What is claimed is:

1. An automobile stop signal comprising a hollow human form having ahollow shoulder formed with an opening, a stop-signalling hand and armpivoted in said one shoulder and extending through said opening andnormally gravitationally depressed, an operating lever pivotedintermediate its ends in the interior of said body and having a firstend operatively resting upon the inner end of said arm, a rotaryelectric motor supported in said body and having an eccentric operatingconnection with the remain: ing end of said operating lever, avertically reciprocable member supported in said body and operativelyconnected to the said inner end of the arm, a solenoid for drawing downand hold ing said vertically reciprocable member to hold said arm inraised position, a source of electrical energy connected to said rotaryelectric motor and to said solenoid, and switch'means interposed betweensaid rotary electric motor and said solenoid and said source ofelectricalenergy, for selectively operating said rotary electric motorand said solenoid.

2. An automobile stop signal comprising a sup-, port, a normallygravitationally depressed sige naling arm pivoted intermediate its endson said support, a depending solenoid core pivotally connected to theinner end of said signaling arm, a solenoid electro-magnet on saidsupport receiving said solenoid core, a walking-beam pivoted on saidsupport at one side of said signaling arm and having one end thereofresting freely on the upper side of the inner end of said signaling arm,a connecting rod connected to the opposite end of said walking-beam,.arotary electric motor operatively connected to said connecting rodwhereby said signaling arm may be intermittently raised and permitted togravitationally fall, and means for selectively operating either themotor or the solenoid.

EUGENE E. 'RICARDH

